February 3, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE â" February 3, 2009
Capitals Recall Michal Neuvirth from Hershey
ARLINGTON, Va. â" The Washington Capitals have recalled goaltender Michal Neuvirth (NOY-vihrt) from the American Hockey Leagueâ™s (AHL)
Hershey Bears, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.
Neuvirth, 20, is a first-year pro who stands 6â™1â, 199 pounds. He has split time between Hershey and the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL this year. He is 4-2-2 with the Bears this season and has not suffered a regulation loss since Jan. 2. Neuvirth has three wins and two shootout losses in that time and won his most recent game on Jan. 31 against Norfolk.
He was 6-7-0-0 in 13 games in the ECHL and recorded a 2.28 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. He played in the ECHL All-Star Game on Jan. 21 and stopped 19 of 20 shots he faced in 20 minutes of action.
The Usi Labem, Czech Republic, native was the Capitalsâ™ second-round choice, 34th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He played a combined 33 games for three different teams in the Ontario Hockey League last year and was a combined 17-7-5-3. Neuvirth represented the Czech Republic in the 2008 World Junior Championship and posted a 2-2-0 record. His .910 save percentage ranked fourth in the tournament and he was fifth with a 2.50 goals-against average.
Neuvirth, No. 30 with Washington, is available to make his NHL debut tonight in New Jersey; Brent Johnson is currently day-to-day with an injury. Neuvirth would become the sixth goaltender to dress for the Capitals this season (joining Johnson, Jose Theodore, Simeon Varlamov, Daren Machesney and Brett Leonhardt).
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